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Texans Eyeing Tytus Howard Extension

May 29th, 2023 at 10:50am CST by Sam Robinson

Not many areas on the Texans’ roster can be classified as true strengths, but the rebuilding team has devoted significant resources to fortifying its offensive line. Houston has already doled out two extensions up front this offseason — to Laremy Tunsil and Shaq Mason. Another might be coming soon.

Earlier this year, Tytus Howard expressed interest in an offseason extension. The Texans are expected to make this a priority, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports. It sounds like Howard has moved to the top of Houston’s extension queue, doing so despite arriving as a first-round pick during Brian Gaine‘s short GM tenure.

The Texans fired Gaine just after the 2019 draft, which featured Howard as the team’s top investment. Some inconsistency — in terms of performance level, availability and positional alignment — has ensued during Howard’s rookie contract, but Houston exercised the former No. 23 overall pick’s fully guaranteed fifth-year option in May 2022. Howard is tied to a $13.2MM salary this season. It should be expected an extension will cost more, in terms of average annual value.

Howard, who turned 27 last week, played a 17-game season for the first time as a pro. He worked almost exclusively at right tackle, after spending much of the 2021 season at guard and left tackle. That ’21 season assignment came largely due to Tunsil’s early-season injury. Last season, Tunsil and Howard stayed healthy. This did not exactly translate to success, with the Texans going 3-13-1, or quarterback progress. But the team has a new passer in place this year. It looks like the Texans plan to pair C.J. Stroud‘s rookie contract with two lucrative tackle accords.

For the second time, the Texans made Tunsil the NFL’s highest-paid offensive lineman. The Pro Bowler is signed to a three-year, $75MM deal, which runs through 2026. Stroud’s rookie contract will span four years as well, with the fifth-year option making it possible for the deal to go through 2027. Either way, Stroud’s deal will make it possible for the Texans to devote more money to starters at other spots for the foreseeable future. Not long after the Tunsil re-up, the team moved further down this road by extending Mason, giving the guard trade acquisition a three-year, $36MM deal. This came after Houston chose center Juice Scruggs in the second round.

While both those contracts cover Stroud’s rookie-deal time, it should be expected a Howard pact will tie the Alabama State alum to the team into the late 2020s. Pro Football Focus rated Howard just outside the top 40 among tackles last season, marking a nice improvement for the Division I-FCS product. Howard could set himself up for a bigger payday by continuing this momentum in a contract year, but opting for a commitment ahead of that point makes sense as well.

Howard should not be expected to join Tunsil as a top-three highest-paid player at his position. The Chiefs moved the right tackle bar to $20MM per year, via their Jawaan Taylor agreement, and Lane Johnson subsequently topped it. Howard could take aim at the five-year, $87.5MM deal the Broncos handed 2018 first-rounder Mike McGlinchey. Though, the latter’s superior track record might make that difficult. Two other tackles — the Colts’ Braden Smith and Panthers’ Taylor Moton — are tied to deals in the $17MM-AAV ballpark.

Tunsil’s status as the league’s highest-paid lineman and Howard’s smaller sample size of promising work could complicate negotiations, but it looks fairly clear GM Nick Caserio will make an effort to have both the team’s tackles locked down soon.

Texans Working Out FA WR Preston Williams

May 26th, 2023 at 7:05pm CST by Ely Allen

Following the draft and free agency, the Texans have plenty of numbers at the wide receiver position. Still, it looks like they may be interested in adding a big, veteran body to the room after recently working out former Dolphins wide out Preston Williams, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2.

Williams is a former undrafted free agent who declared for the draft due to a stellar junior year at Colorado State after transferring from Tennessee. During his lone season in Fort Collins, Williams dominated the Mountain West Conference with 96 catches for 1,345 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns.

He signed with the Dolphins out of college and ended up not only making the 53-man roster but earning a starting role, as well. Williams started his first seven game before ultimately suffering a season-ending ACL tear in Week 8. He had 32 receptions for 428 yards and three touchdowns before going down with the injury. The 2020 season saw him follow the same pattern, starting seven of the first eight games before getting shut down with an injury for the second half of the season.

Injury troubles sporadically made him miss nine games the next season. After he failed to eclipse eight game appearances in any single season, the Dolphins waived Williams. He signed to the Panthers’ practice squad for the 2022 season but only made an appearance in the team’s season finale, appearing only in two offensive plays and seven special teams snaps. He was released by Carolina last week.

Williams provides elite size at 6-foot-4, 210 pounds but still has the athletic ability to field punts, something he did in Miami as a rookie. For Houston, he could provide another strong redzone target out wide other than Nico Collins or rookie Xavier Hutchinson. If he can earn his way to a roster spot this summer, the Texans will likely be focused on his health and ability to catch contested balls in the endzone.

Texans Not Shopping QB Davis Mills

May 24th, 2023 at 11:39am CST by Sam Robinson

Deshaun Watson‘s off-field turmoil led to the Texans effectively hitting pause. They did not make a major investment at quarterback in 2021, when Watson spent the year as a healthy scratch, or 2022. This left Davis Mills as the team’s primary starter. The team changed plans this year, leaving Mills in limbo.

Houston signed Case Keenum shortly after this year’s legal tampering period began and then, despite persistent rumors of preferring this class’ top defensive ends compared to the non-Bryce Young QB lot, chose C.J. Stroud second overall. Stroud and Keenum would seem to represent the 1-2 QB depth chart during DeMeco Ryans‘ first HC season, but Mills remains in the picture. For now, at least, the Texans intend to keep it that way.

[RELATED: Cal McNair Denies Influencing Stroud Selection]

Mills is believed to have generated trade interest, according to KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson, who adds the Texans are not eager to deal the former third-round pick. Mills took the first reps at Texans OTAs on Tuesday.

The Texans signed Tyrod Taylor to guide the 2021 team, which was hamstrung by its $39MM-per-year starting QB’s absence, but Mills took over and showed promise to close that season. He did not make much progress last season, with the Texans producing fewer wins. Mills has made 26 career starts; 15 of those came last season. The Stanford product led the league with 15 INTs, despite sitting behind Kyle Allen for two games. Mills’ 78.8 passer rating came in ahead of only Kenny Pickett and Zach Wilson among qualified QBs last year.

Mills, 24, would not seem to hold too much trade value at present. An injury elsewhere could change that, but Mills would profile as a backup option as he enters his third NFL season. Mills struggled despite the return of All-Pro left tackle Laremy Tunsil in 2022, but the Texans still sported a suboptimal supporting cast around their quarterback. Mills piloted the 2021 team to two wins in his final five starts, including an upset of the Chargers that ended up keeping them out of the playoffs, and completed nearly 67% of his passes (6.4 yards per attempt) as a rookie. It is conceivable another team would see him as a capable QB2.

Keenum, 35, signed a two-year, $6.25MM deal ($4MM guaranteed) to return to Houston. Stroud’s four-year rookie deal will be fully guaranteed. Mills is due $1.1MM and $1.4MM base salaries in 2023 and ’24, respectively. It would seem Mills, who engineered the game-winning Week 18 drive that kept the Texans from securing the No. 1 overall pick, no longer fits in Houston. The Texans do not have a fourth QB on their offseason roster, leaving Mills as a regular part of OTAs ahead of what could soon be a move into the background.

Texans To Bring Back DE Jacob Martin

May 23rd, 2023 at 10:55am CST by Sam Robinson

MAY 23: Martin’s deal has a maximum value of $3.5MM, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 (Twitter link). That falls well short of what he earned on his Jets pact, but it should allow him to earn a rotational role in his return to the Texans. Another consistent season could earn Martin a more lucrative contract next offseason, in Houston or elsewhere.

MAY 19: Not long after Jacob Martin‘s hometown team cut him, he will reunite with his longest-tenured NFL employer. The Texans intend to bring back Martin, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

This is a one-year agreement for the veteran pass rusher, who initially played in Houston from 2019-21. Martin, who has now been part of two trades, spent last season with the Jets and Broncos.

Sean Payton said a Martin reunion was not out of the picture for the Broncos, but once the franchise moved on (to create some cap space), outside interest emerged. Martin visited the Texans a day later, and while he is obviously familiar with the organization, the former Seahawks draftee will soon learn a new system under DeMeco Ryans — the fourth Houston HC in four years.

Like No. 3 overall pick Will Anderson Jr., Martin will transition from standup outside linebacker to defensive end in Ryans’ 4-3 scheme. The Texans lost Obo Okoronkwo and Rasheem Green in free agency, seeing the edge rushers defect to the Browns and Bears, respectively, in free agency. Martin, 27, stands to supply some depth to the now-Anderson-led edge group.

The Texans initially obtained Martin in 2019’s Jadeveon Clowney trade. Martin represented one of the throw-in pieces in a Texans haul headlined by a third-round pick. Martin played a supporting role for Houston’s most recent playoff-qualifying team, in 2019, and moved into a full-time starting position by 2021. Martin’s production has remained steady regardless of role. In each season from 2018-21, he recorded between three and four sacks. In 2021, he tallied four sacks, six QB hits and a safety on a Kyler Murray rushing attempt. That effort enticed the Jets to give Martin a three-year, $13.5MM deal that included $6MM guaranteed.

Down Randy Gregory and having traded Bradley Chubb to the Dolphins on deadline day last year, the Broncos acquired Martin’s contract in a pick-swap trade with the Jets. But injury trouble slowed the Aurora, Colorado, native. Martin played in just five Broncos games before finishing the season on IR. Last season marks Martin’s first NFL instance of failing to reach three sacks; he finished with 2.5.

GM Nick Caserio has made a habit of bringing batches of middling veterans on one- or two-year deals each offseason. Martin joins Denzel Perryman, Cory Littleton, Chase Winovich, Hassan Ridgeway and ex-Jets teammate Sheldon Rankins as front-seven Houston free agency additions this spring. Winovich, Martin, Jerry Hughes and fourth-round pick Dylan Horton currently comprise the team’s Anderson support staff on the edge.

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/22/23

May 22nd, 2023 at 7:55pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

  • Signed: TE Joel Wilson

Detroit Lions

  • Signed: OT Max Pircher

Green Bay Packers

  • Signed: RB Emanuel Wilson
  • Waived: K Parker White

Houston Texans

  • Released: DB Darius Joiner

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Max Pircher will be joining the Lions via the league’s International Pathways Program. The team originally signed Austalian tight end Patrick Murtagh, who had to back out of his deal due to a medical issue, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Pircher played football in Austria and participated on Italy’s National Team before a stint on the Rams’ practice squad in 2021.

Tae Crowder became a popular name after he compiled 130 tackles in 17 starts for the Giants in 2021. He found himself sliding down the depth chart in 2022 before ultimately getting waived. He landed back on New York’s practice squad before being signed by the Steelers, where he didn’t get into a game while sitting on their active roster.

Jadeveon Clowney Interested In Reunion With Texans

May 21st, 2023 at 2:00pm CST by Adam La Rose

A number of veteran edge rushers remain on the open market well into the offseason. One of them is Jadeveon Clowney, who, as expected, has not re-signed with the Browns this year. His next destination could still be a familiar one, however.

In an interview with Mark Berman of Fox 26, the former No. 1 pick indicated that he would welcome a deal reuniting him with the Texans (video link). Clowney, 30, lives and trains in Houston, the city in which he spent the first five years of his career. It was also with the Texans that he earned each of his three Pro Bowl nods, though his production has never fully matched his expectations at any stop in his career.

Clowney followed his tenure in Houston with single campaigns in Seattle and Tennessee, then a two-year stint with the Browns. He proved to be a productive compliment to Myles Garrett in 2021 with nine sacks, but things took a markedly different turn last season. Clowney was limited to a pair of sacks and saw his snap share drop to 63% – the lowest mark in his career since his rookie campaign.

By the end of the season – during which the South Carolina alum had been benched for his public remarks regarding his playing time and usage in the team’s defense – it was obvious that Clowney’s future would not be in Cleveland. He was released in March, leaving him on the open market once again. That puts him among the likes of Frank Clark, Justin Houston and Leonard Floyd as pass rushers seeking a new opportunity.

Clowney expressed praise for new Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans, who comes to Houston with a reputation as one of the league’s top defensive minds. The rebuilding team has made a few moves already along the edge, including trading up to the No. 3 pick in the draft to select Will Anderson Jr, along with the signing of Chase Winovich and a reunion with Jacob Martin. That could create an uncertain path to a starting role for Clowney, but his optimism for Houston’s future could produce conversations beyond the initial one his agent had with the organization earlier this offseason.

It remains to be seen, however, if Clowney’s desire for a return is matched by the Texans. No timeline is currently in place for a deal in Houston or elsewhere to come to fruition, but it would certainly be notable if the next phase of his career took place where it began.

Texans Release TE Eric Tomlinson

May 18th, 2023 at 6:17pm CST by Ben Levine

The Texans have been busy adding to their squad this week, and now the front office is starting to subtract. According to ESPN’s Field Yates (on Twitter), Houston has released Eric Tomlinson and placed defensive tackle Taylor Stallworth on injured reserve.

Despite going undrafted out of UTEP in 2015, Tomlinson has managed to put together an eight-year career. He had a three-year stint with the Jets between 2016 and 2018, seeing time in 36 games (29 starts). Since then, he’s bounced around the NFL, spending time with the Giants, Patriots, Raiders, Ravens, and Broncos. He started 12 of his 17 games for Denver last season, hauling in nine receptions while continuing to serve mostly as an extra blocker.

After having a brief stint in Houston to begin his career, Tomlinson rejoined the organization earlier this month. The team has since added Jordan Murray, perhaps costing the veteran his roster spot.

After appearing in 32 games for the Colts between 2020 and 2021, Stallworth got into seven games with the Chiefs and Texans last season. He inked a one-year extension with Houston back in February but has since suffered a hamstring injury.

Placing Stallworth on injured reserve would prevent him from taking the field for the Texans during the 2023 campaign. However, an injury settlement may be coming. Agent Brett Tessler stated (on Twitter) that reports of the IR move are erroneous and an “injury settlement on a short-term injury” is imminent. This move would allow Stallworth to join a new squad once he’s healthy enough to play.

It’s been a busy week for the Texans front office. Most notably, the team signed cornerback Shaquill Griffin and added defensive tackle Byron Cowart.

NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/18/23

May 18th, 2023 at 5:37pm CST by Ben Levine

Non-first-round picks continue to sign their four-year contracts. We’ve collected today’s signings below:

Arizona Cardinals

Houston Texans

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Williams was one of the more intriguing prospects in the draft considering his status heading into the 2022 campaign. The Syracuse cornerback is still recovering from a torn ACL that limited him to only seven games last season. As the rookie told Darren Urban of the team’s website, he’s already progressed to running.

“You feel like football season is around the corner, but you’ve got to stay patient,” Williams said. “I can’t rush it. But obviously I can’t wait to put the cleats and pads back on … The hard part’s done. Now it’s the fun part, strengthening things, I’m able to run. I feel like a football player again.”

The defensive back also made it clear that he’s aiming to be back on the field for training camp, but he understands that the organization may want to bring him along more slowly.

“I am seeing it as, I can come back from this and make my story,” Williams said. “I see my life as a movie [and] make my movie that much cooler, that much better at the end.”

Texans To Sign DT Byron Cowart

May 18th, 2023 at 10:52am CST by Sam Robinson

Byron Cowart will join a second team this offseason. The former Patriots starter caught on with the Chiefs in March, but the defending champions quickly cut him. The Texans will take a flier.

Houston is signing Cowart, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 tweets. Best known for being a full-time starter with New England in 2020, Cowart has not started a game since. He spent last season with the Colts. Texans GM Nick Caserio was with the Patriots when they drafted Cowart in the 2019 fifth round.

Cowart saw an injury derail his 2021 season. The Patriots stashed the 300-pound defender on their reserve/PUP list to start the season but later allowed his return-to-practice period to expire. That ended his season, and the Pats moved on just before training camp began last year. The Colts picked up Cowart and used him as a backup in 17 games. He made 12 tackles (two for loss) during a season in which he played 227 defensive snaps.

Pro Football Focus did not rank Cowart highly last year, slotting him outside the top 100 among interior D-linemen. He will aim to bounce back with a rebuilding team. The Colts claimed Cowart’s rookie deal last summer, but after the Chiefs bailed on a veteran agreement, the former Maryland and Auburn D-lineman will attempt to stick on a veteran contract in Houston.

The Texans have added some D-tackle help this offseason, signing Sheldon Rankins and ex-DeMeco Ryans 49ers charge Hassan Ridgeway. The team also returns Maliek Collins, who signed during Caserio’s first offseason. The Texans, however, did not draft an interior D-lineman.

Poll: Which Team Has Improved Most This Offseason?

May 17th, 2023 at 9:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although several starter-caliber veterans remain unsigned, NFL teams have largely taken their big swings this offseason. Be it through free agency, the trade market or the draft, franchises have updated their rosters in hopes of improving in 2023.

Any conversation of 2023 improvement efforts probably needs to start with the Jets. Thanks to the Sacramento Kings’ playoff advancement, the Jets hold major North American sports’ longest postseason drought — at 12 years. After missing on a few rookie-contract QBs in the time since their last playoff run, the Jets now have Aaron Rodgers. The six nationally televised games on Gang Green’s docket illustrate Rodgers’ impact on the team’s perception, and although the four-time MVP will turn 40 before year’s end, he has made the Jets a free agency destination of sorts. The team added ex-Rodgers Packer wideouts Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb, with those moves coming after the addition of safety Chuck Clark via trade.

As the Jets stands to be a factor in the one of the deepest conferences in recent memory, the Dolphins added Jalen Ramsey via trade and will pay Vic Fangio upwards of $4.5MM to run their defense. Miami will bank on Tua Tagovailoa health and showed faith in the oft-scrutinized passer by picking up his fifth-year option two months early.

The Ravens took their biggest steps yet — in the Lamar Jackson era, at least — to strengthen their receiving corps, keeping Odell Beckham Jr. from a Big Apple return (via a $15MM guarantee) and drafting Zay Flowers in the first round. The Browns bolstered their receiving corps as well, trading for Elijah Moore and drafting Cedric Tillman in Round 3. Cleveland also has now added two edge rushers — with Jadeveon Clowney not expected back — in Za’Darius Smith and Obo Okoronkwo to complement Myles Garrett. Cincinnati may have made the biggest outside addition in the AFC North, signing Orlando Brown Jr., though the team did lose both starting safeties (Jessie Bates, Vonn Bell) in free agency. The Steelers added two likely O-line starters, in Broderick Jones and Isaac Seumalo, and made changes at cornerback by signing Patrick Peterson and drafting Joey Porter Jr.

The returns from this year’s top AFC South headlines likely will not emerge until the mid-2020s, but the Texans, Colts and Titans drafted hopeful long-term QBs (C.J. Stroud, Anthony Richardson, Will Levis). Houston also gave up a bounty to move back into the top three for Will Anderson Jr.

Making Nathaniel Hackett just the third HC since the 1970 merger to be fired before his first season ended, the Broncos paid up — both in terms of draft capital and salary — to add Sean Payton. They also spent heavily to better protect Russell Wilson, signing Ben Powers and Mike McGlinchey. The latter will be Denver’s 11th Week 1 right tackle in 11 years. The Raiders added Tyree Wilson in Round 1, but the team’s Derek Carr-to-Jimmy Garoppolo transition injects considerably more injury risk into their equation.

Darren Waller going from Las Vegas to New York provided the centerpiece of the Giants’ hopeful pass-game upgrade, which includes a few midlevel wide receiver investments. The team added likely starters in cornerback Deonte Banks and center John Michael Schmitz. Dallas brought in Pro Bowlers Brandin Cooks and Stephon Gilmore via trade, and Mike McCarthy will dust off his play-calling chops after Moore’s Chargers exit. The Eagles drafted two more Georgia defenders (Jalen Carter, Nolan Smith) in Round 1 but lost Javon Hargrave and both coordinators.

Few position groups received more attention than the Lions’ secondary. The rising team added Cameron Sutton, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Emmanuel Moseley and second-rounder Brian Branch. This came after Jameson Williams‘ six-game gambling ban and after two first-round picks (Jahmyr Gibbs, Jack Campbell) receiving positional value-based criticism. While the Bears collected future assets from the Panthers in the Bryce Young swap, they pried D.J. Moore from Carolina and added two likely O-line starters in Nate Davis and Darnell Wright.

Carolina stopped its QB carousel with the Young move, and Frank Reich will be tasked with developing the atypical prospect. The Panthers also lured Ejiro Evero from the Broncos, despite Denver’s interest in retaining its DC. Though, the team’s receiving situation — now featuring Adam Thielen and DJ Chark — may take multiple years to fix post-Moore. The rest of the NFC South will also include new Week 1 starting QBs. The Saints made the second-most notable veteran quarterback addition this year — in giving Carr what amounts to a three-year, $100MM deal — and will hope this brings the QB stability Drew Brees‘ retirement stripped away two years ago.

While the 49ers lost another coordinator (DeMeco Ryans) to a head coaching job, they gave new DC Steve Wilks superior D-line talent via Hargrave’s $20MM-AAV deal. With the Colts taking Richardson at No. 4, the Seahawks doubled down on the recently re-signed Geno Smith by beginning this year’s receiver run with Jaxon Smith-Njigba at No. 20. Seattle also zagged from its Pete Carroll–John Schneider M.O. by taking cornerback Devon Witherspoon at 5. This and the Dre’Mont Jones contract headlined a big year for Seahawks defensive investments.

What other teams deserve mention here? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section.

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